Isaac Herzog, the president of the genocidal Israeli state, is due to visit London next week to meet UK ministers.
Unlike Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, there is no international arrest warrant for Herzog’s involvement in the genocide in Gaza.
Despite this, Herzog has been named multiple times in the International Court of Justice (ICJ) case regarding South Africa’s complaints that Israel is committing genocide in Gaza.
Various judges at the ICJ listed a series of statements made by senior Israeli officials that seemed to constitute “dehumanising language.” Within this list of statements was Herzog’s claim that Palestinians in Gaza were “unequivocally” responsible for the Hamas attack on 7 October.
“The entire [Palestinian] nation out there is responsible,” he said. “It is not true this rhetoric about civilians not being aware, not involved.”
The upcoming visit from Herzog has sparked outrage among some Labour MPs amidst the increasingly dire humanitarian situation in Gaza as well as Israel’s decision to push forward with a new offensive into Gaza City.
Despite the vocal criticism aimed at Israel from the broader public in the UK, the meeting will still go ahead next Wednesday and Thursday.
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Downing Street also refused to comment further, stating that it would set out any visits “in the normal way.”
British MPs react
Various Labour MPs have demanded that the government not meet the Israeli official.
Labour’s Sarah Champion is among those who have expressed clear opposition to the plans, stating that it would undermine and reverse any progress the government has made in condemning Israel’s actions in Gaza.
Champion said, “I really hope this is inaccurate,” as she posted a recent article on the scheduled visit.
“The UK has recognised the ‘real risk’ of genocide perpetrated by Israel, so unless this meeting is about peace – what message are we sending?”, she added in a post on X.
Labour’s former Shadow Chancellor John McDonnell told the Guardian: “I am appalled at the decision to allow this representative of a government that is systematically killing Palestinian children on a daily basis to visit our country.
“The Prime Minister is proving to be absolutely tone-deaf to the desperate plight of the Palestinian people and the overwhelming feelings of revulsion of the British people at the brutality of the government Herzog represents.”
Former Labour MP Zarah Sultana, who is now an independent candidate under her newly founded party with Jeremy Corbyn, also weighed in on the matter.
In a post on X, she said: “Beyond disgusted that Israeli President Herzog is set to visit London next week to meet Labour ministers. The Labour Party is living up to its reputation as The Genocide Party.”
Sultana also said that “Herzog should be arrested for war crimes the moment he sets foot on UK soil.”
The visit has cast some doubt on the UK government’s stance, as just this week PM Keir Starmer said a “terrible situation” was unfolding in Gaza, and before that stated the UK intends to recognise a Palestinian state later this month.
Herzog’s visit to London comes after Pope Francis received the Israeli president at the Vatican, again sparking controversy over the reason for such an unexpected meeting.
Pope Francis reportedly told President Herzog that he hoped for a “permanent ceasefire” in Gaza at a private meeting in the Vatican on Wednesday.
The Palestinian death toll in Gaza has risen above the 64,000 mark since October 7, 2023.
It is now coming up to two years since Hamas launched its attack in southern Israel, and two years of relentless bombardment, starvation, and imposed famine on Gaza’s 2.2 million mostly civilian population.
